2017 NEW YEAR'S CONCERT
Vienna Philharmonic / Gustavo Dudamel
Sony Classical 88985376152 (2 CDs)
****1/2
It
is amazing to ponder the fact that the New Year's Day Concert by the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra continues to bring up new works never previously
performed at this landmark institution.
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel's
first appearance unfortunately did not present some Latino pops classics, but
no less than eight “premieres” were heard, including favourites like Emile
Waldteufel's Skaters Waltz (Les Patineurs) and
Franz von Suppe's Pique Dame Overture. The concert opened
with Franz Lehar's Nechledil March, ever bit as rousing and
clappable as Johann Strauss the Elder's Radetzky March that
closed the event.
In
between, there were first performances of Johann Strauss the Younger's Rotunde-Quadrille,
Die Extravaganten and fast polkas Auf Zum Tanze!
(Let's Dance!) and Pepita Polka, all sparkling
like bubbly champagne. The Wiener Singverein chorus also made
its debut, singing in the Moon Chorus from The Merry
Wives Of Windsor by the orchestra's founder Otto Nicolai.
Not to be outdone, the orchestral players themselves have their voices heard in
Strauss' Tik-Tak Polka (not to be confused with the
better-known Tritsch-Tratsch Polka) besides their
customary shouted new year's greeting. The Beautiful Blue Danube
gets its due, as always, and what would the Vienna New Year's Concert be
without it?
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